Inspired by red beans and rice, this is a dump & bake casserole that requires just 10 minutes of active time to make. The result is perfectly fluffy rice filled with savory Cajun-inspired flavors!
Will I ever get tired of sharing dump & bake recipes? Probably not. The newest dump & bake on the blog in a long line of vegetarian casseroles is red beans and rice, and it just makes sense.
This recipe is adapted from my Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice and my Vegetarian Jambalaya. The result is light and fluffy rice, ample Cajun-inspired flavor, and minimal active time.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Big flavor: When I first developed the jambalaya-inspired recipe that this red beans and rice is adapted from, I did a lot of research into how to create umami flavors without meat. The result is simple ingredients (think Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste) and big flavor.
- Affordable: We love a good budget-friendly meal here. Most of these ingredients are inexpensive pantry staples, and the veggie sausages are optional, or you can save a penny and make your own vegan sausage.
- Prep in advance: Rice casseroles freeze well. Better yet, prep and freeze the holy trinity (onion, pepper, and celery) in advance and throw the casserole together in just a few minutes.
Main ingredients
- White rice: Medium or long-grain white rice work here. I don't recommend using brown rice as a direct swap, as it requires additional liquid.
- Red beans: One can typically yields about 1 ½ cups of red beans. Feel free to double the amount of beans for extra protein.
- Holy trinity: Used in Cajun and Creole cooking, this equal parts onion (I use sweet yellow onion), green bell pepper, and celery.
- Worcestershire sauce: This adds umami and depth. Most store-brand Worcestershire sauces are actually anchovy-free, but if you're vegetarian or vegan make sure to check the ingredients label.
- Meatless sausage: I add this for extra protein and because I love the flavor. It is entirely optional. Field Roast apple sage sausages go well here, but Italian-seasoned sausage also work well.
- Cajun seasoning: I use a salt-free Cajun seasoning in my cooking, so that's what I recommend using here. If your Cajun seasoning has salt in it, I recommend omitting the added salt.
Variations
Dump & bake casseroles are all about cutting down on prep time, but I do have a few tips to take this red beans and rice casserole to the next level. These variations are entirely optional!
- Saute the veggies: I tested the casserole both ways and think that it's delicious either way. Sauteing vegetables adds a touch of sweetness and enhances their flavor. Just 8-10 minutes of sauteing in butter takes this bake to the next level.
- I know that some people like to use quinoa instead of white rice, so note that quinoa works as a direct swap for white rice.
- This recipe works with brown rice, but you will need to increase the vegetable broth by 50%, or to a total of 3 cups. Add at least 20 minutes, likely up to 30 minutes to the bake time.
- This doesn't have to be a vegetarian casserole; adapt as needed!
Cassidy's top tips
- I test all of my dump & bake recipes in a 9x13-inch ceramic baking dish. Note that ceramic and glass take longer to heat up than metal, which is part of why I recommend a range of cooking times.
- For smaller serving sizes, make this recipe in two 8x8-inch baking dishes instead. Freeze one of the cooked casseroles for an easy meal when you need it (thanks to a reader for this tip!).
- Don't have a lid for your baking dish? Use foil or an upside-down sheet pan to create a tight seal and prevent steam from escaping.
- I tested this recipe with veggie sausage added at the same time as the other ingredients and I didn't enjoy it as much. Pan-frying the sausage adds a lot of texture and enhances its flavor, so I recommend doing it that way.
Storage and freezing
- Let the casserole cool completely in the fridge before covering tightly with a layer of saran wrap and foil, or transferring it to a freezer container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Let thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Cover with a lid or foil and reheat the entire casserole in the oven at 325F for about 25-30 minutes, or until heated through. Add a splash of water or broth if the rice is drying out.
More vegetarian casseroles
Did you try this recipe? You can leave a star rating in the recipe card or a review in the comments below. Or check out my new cookbook and keep up to date with my YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, or newsletter!
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Baked Red Beans and Rice
This dump & bake red beans and rice features Cajun flavors and simple pantry staples. The result is flavorful, fluffy rice and beans baked in the oven!
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup long grain white rice medium also works; rinse well
- 15 ounce can red beans drained and rinsed
- 1 small sweet yellow onion diced
- 1 medium green bell pepper diced
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 4-5 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons salt-free Cajun seasoning see note #1
- 1 teaspoon dry thyme
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt adjust to taste
- 1 tablespoon vegetarian Worcestershire sauce *store brands are often anchovy-free
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2-3 vegan sausages sliced into coins; see note #2
- ¼ cup chopped parsley for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- To a 9x13-inch baking dish add the rice, drained beans, onion, pepper, celery, garlic, butter, tomato paste, Cajun seasoning, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Stir to combine.
- Pour in the Worcestershire sauce and vegetable broth, stirring to combine. Cover tightly with a lid or foil.
- Bake at 375F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the rice is cooked through. While the rice bakes, pan-fry the sliced sausages in a lightly oiled pan until golden, just 4-5 minutes.
- Remove the rice from the oven and stir in the pan-fried sausage and parsley. If the rice is a little liquidy you can return it to the oven to bake, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Otherwise, it is ready to serve. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Cajun seasoning: If using seasoning that contains salt, I recommend decreasing or omitting the added salt.
- Sausage: I like Field Roast's apple sausage here, but any type works. My homemade vegan Italian sausage is also a great option!
- An equal amount of brown rice can be used in place of white rice but note that it takes at least an additional 20-25 minutes to bake. Increase the vegetable broth to 3 cups.
- An equal amount of quinoa can be used in place of white rice.
- Storage notes:
- To freeze: Let the casserole cool completely in the fridge before covering tightly with a layer of saran wrap and foil, or transferring to a freezer container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- To reheat: Cover with a lid or foil and reheat the entire casserole in the oven at 325F for about 25-30 minutes, or until heated through. Add a splash of water or broth, as needed, if the casserole starts to dry out.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 431kcalCarbohydrates: 65gProtein: 20gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 771mgPotassium: 628mgFiber: 8gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 2052IUVitamin C: 31mgCalcium: 85mgIron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Leave a review to let us know how it was!
Amanda
I’m making this tonight. Looks so yummy. Can I sub basmati for long grain? I can’t take another trip to grocery store. It’s Thanksgiving week. 😩 Thank you!!!
Cassidy Reeser
Hoping you went ahead and made it anyway since I'm a day late, but yes, you can do basmati in place of long grain!
Lyndon B
I made this last night and loved it! I did add a little more slat as I made my own Cajun seasoning and omitted the salt as per the mention in the notes. I did have a snag with the cook time. I used a tinfoil cover which was tricky to get air tight. As a result I needed an extra 15 minutes to get the liquid out and to cook the rice. Also, its worth noting that I accidentally put my oven on convection which I don't think helped. The best part is, the end result turned out beautifully and it was exactly what I was looking for. I Can not wait to try some other recipes, thanks Cass!
Cassidy Reeser
Thanks for the review and for adapting the recipe to make it work for you! I also find that sometimes it just takes some ovens a shorter or longer time to cook the rice than others. Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Natalie
This recipe required more cook time, more liquid and more seasoning and spices. I would try it again with the noted changes.
Cassidy Reeser
I'm curious how much extra liquid and cook time you needed for the recipe. Asking because I haven't run into this issue myself, however I use a very tightly fitting lid so the steam doesn't escape at all during the cooking process.
Christina
Made this last night and it was so good I’m actually looking forward to leftovers!
Cassidy Reeser
Ooh now that is a great compliment! Thanks for the review!